City Staff Seek Additional Funding for Bike and Pedestrian Projects
UNT/Downtown bike projects planned for 2021.
During Tuesday’s Denton City Council meeting, council members approved staff proposals to apply for additional funding to help build a bike route between the University of North Texas and the Downtown Denton Transit Center. Other proposals aim to improve pedestrian infrastructure near downtown, MedPark station, and certain elementary schools.
The funding is from the new Denton County Transportation Reinvestment Program (TRiP), which is expected to run for about five years. The program takes 15 percent of the DCTA budget from the previous fiscal year and redistributes it among member cities for bicycle and pedestrian projects that meet certain criteria, including proximity to a DCTA route.
The City of Denton is eligible for about $2.5 million in TRiP funding in the first year of the program. City staff hope to use this funding to supplement bicycle and pedestrian projects that have already been in the works for more than a year.
For larger, machine-readable versions of the following images, review the full presentation slides [PDF Download].
A-Train to UNT Bike and Pedestrian Path
This project includes installing dedicated bike lanes on Welch from Eagle to Hickory. Also included is a sidepath along Sycamore for bicycle and pedestrian traffic from UNT to the Downtown Denton Transit Center. Both Welch and Sycamore are bike routes designated in the Bike Plan passed by the Denton City Council in 2012.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Hudspeth emphasized to staff that he’d like to see these bike routes be fully separated and protected from vehicular traffic. Staff hope to complete construction of this project in the fall of this year.
Ginnings and Alexander Elementary Sidewalks
This project would build a sidewalk along Stuart from Sun Valley near Ginnings Elementary to Windsor. It would also fill in sidewalk gaps near Alexander Elementary on Lattimore and Mulkey. Staff hope to have both projects completed in the summer of 2022.
Wilson and Pecan Creek Elementary Sidewalks
These projects would fill in sidewalk gaps near Wilson and Pecan Creek Elementary schools. Sidewalks will be built on portions of Emerson, Brookfield, Hanover, and Pockrus Page. Staff hope to complete these projects in the summer of 2022.
All Way Crossing in Downtown
In 2020, Denton piloted a “pedestrian scramble” in the downtown area in order to improve pedestrian safety in one of the rare walkable areas of town. A pedestrian scramble provides a period of time when everyone in cars have a red light while people on sidewalks may cross through the intersection in any direction they’d like. Following the pilot period, Denton City Council voted to make this design permanent. This means city staff must make adjustments to ramps and road markings to allow both people on foot and people using mobility devices to cross diagonally through the intersection during the pedestrian phase.
Staff hope to complete this project sometime in the fall of this year.
Bell Sidewalk
If you’ve ever tried to use a sidewalk to get from the A-Train to Boca 31 or Armadillo Ale Works, you’ve probably noticed that there isn’t one and that there’s a harzardous drop off next to Boca 31. This project would fill in the sidewalk gap on the east side of Bell between Hickory and Sycamore. Staff hope to complete this project during the winter of 2021/2022.
Large drop off along Bell Ave next to Boca 31.
MedPark Sidewalk
A basic piece of infrastructure that should exist near all train stations and bus stops is sidewalks. This project would fill in missing segments of sidewalk along MedPark Drive near the MedPark train station. Staff hope to complete this project in the fall of this year.
Additional Resources
Video of Meeting: Recording of discussion on this topic from meeting on January 12th, 2021.
Agenda Attachments: All backup information on this agenda item, including topic summary, staff slides, etc.
Article: New funding program could bring more sidewalks, bike lanes along DCTA routes (Denton Record Chronicle, November 12, 2020)
